Estimated damage to the Honduran banana industry from Hurricanes Eta and Iota has been lowered since hitting the Central American country just two weeks apart in November.
An industry representative reports only around 9,143 acres of plantations have been damaged or lost due to flooding, down from the original estimate of 19,768 acres.
The Association of Independent Banana Producers reports preliminary estimates showed Eta and Iota had impacted 6,227 acres of plantations in the key Sula Valley region, which lies along along the Aguán River. This equates to more than $55 million in losses.
In addition, multinational Chiquita has reportedly lost 2,965 acres.
Bananas are Hondura’s second-largest export, generating more than $500 million a year. The country ships primarily to the U.S. and Europe.